Automatic train-pipe coupling



' May 28, 1929.

J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Original Filed July 1, 1921.

Patented May as, 1929.

I UNITED STATES J'OSEIPH ROBINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-firs co-Urnnva.

Application filed July 1, 1921, Serial No. 481,965. Renewed April 1, 1929.

This invention relates to automatic train pipe couplings, and particularly to that type in which a spring yieldingly carries the coupling head, and cooperates with the supporting bracket to adjust the head forward to compensate for the wear occurring on the car coupler parts. In constructions of this type heretofore offered it has been found both difficult and expensive to manufacture the springs and brackets so that they would be interchangeable. The further objection that the hose must be disconnected from the coupling head and the head rotated a complete revolution to effect adjustment, is also encountered with rather serious consequences, the trainmen invariably failing to properly position the head vertically after the adjustment is made.

These objections are removed by, and my invention exists in, the arrangement, combinations, and constructions hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved support.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. In this figure the top of i the bracket, and the stem'19 are omitted.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of the base of the bracket, showing in section my improved means for adj ustably clamping the spring to the bracket, the spring B being omitted, and

Figure 5-is a vertical sectional detail of a modification of my improved adjustmen means, or anchor for the spring B.

Having reference to the drawings: My improved'support comprises a bracket A forked at its upper end to span the usual car coupler lug 5 and clamped thereto as by bolts 6. The lower end of the bracket is perforated or hollow as at 7 to provide a chamber, and has upon its front face a radially extending flange 8 provided with a segmental slot 9. The rear end of a suitably formed supporting spring B extends through the opening or chamber 7 of the bracket, the fit between the chamber and the spring being such as to permit ready adjustment of the spring forward or backward therein but prevent lateral or angular movement of the spring in the chamber when the coupling head carried byitinoves to extreme positions. 'A. seat or plate 10 is-provided with a spiral groove 11, semi-circular in cross section, which entirely circumscribes the face of the plate and conforms substantially to the pitch and conformation of. the spring coils along which coils it is, under certain conditions, adapted to travel. I bears against the front face of the bracket as shown, and is provided with a finger 12 and with a projection 13 perforated at 14.

One coilof the spring B rests in the groove 11 and is lockedtherein by a suitable clamp or dog 15 which embraces the coil and is provided with a toe 15 that is hooked into the perforation 14: of the plate, the other end of the dog beinglocked to the plate by a suitable locking device or bolt 16,. as shown. The bolt passes throughthe plate 10 and through the segmental slot 9 of the bracket in which slot it is adapted to slide.

A laterally diverging conduit 17 is suitably secured, as by threads, to any desired form of coupling head C. The conduit is provided upon the rear side with an annular hearing or seat 18 upon which rests the forward end of the spring B. Ashank or stem 19 extends rearwardly from the seat 18 through the spring B, the plate l0and the chamber 7, and carries on its rear end a washer 20 held in contact with the rear end of the spring B by a'nut 21. The nut 21 serves to compress thespring B and main- The plate 8 tain the seat 18 of the conduit. 17 firmly. I

wedged'in theforward end of the spring, thus preventing undue rotation ofthe coupling head C relative to the spring. The usual-train pipe hose, not shown, is attached to the conduit 17 in any suitable manner when desired.

The preferred normal position of the plate 10 is that shown in theseveral' figures of the drawings. When it is desired to adjust the coupling head C forward or backward relative to the bracket A, the nut' 22 of the bolt 16 is loosened and the plate or seat 10 is rotated to the right or left, asdesired, by

lifting on the finger 12, or tapping it with a suitable tool. If the plate-is rotated to the right it will move away from the bracket A permitting the spring B to be shifted rearwardly in the chamber 7 and thus decrease the distance between the coupling head@ and the bracket A. If however,'the seat 10 be rotated tothe left it will draw the spring B forward in the chamber 7 thus increasingthe distance between the coupling head and the bracket. If it is desired to turn the plate 10 a complete revolution the bolt 16 is, of course, removed until the adjustment is completed and is then reapplied. When, by either of the operations described, the desired adjustment of the coupling head G is had, the bolt 16 is tightened thus securely clamping the seat 10 to the spring B and to the bracket A, and effectually preventing rotation of the spring in the bracket. Undesired rotation of the coupling head is prevented bythe tight fit of the spring B upon or over its seat 18, on the conduit 17, occasioned by drawing up on the nut 21,

thus tightly pressing the spring on this seat.

In Figure 5 I illustrate amodification of my improved support. It consists in provid ing the bracket A with the aforesaid chamber 7 at its lower end, into which the rear end of the spring B is passed. One or more dogs 24 pass between the front face of the bracket and the adjacent coil of the spring which coil bears against the dog upon coupling of opposing heads C, the dog in that circumstance forming an abutment for they spring. The dog'is secured to the bracket by a set screw 25 while a second set screw 26 threadingly passes through a wall of the chamber 7 into engagement with two coils of the spring B. The inner end. 27 of this set screw is so formed as to prevent it passing too far "into the inside diameter of the spring. -This insures that the spring will be forced firmly against the opposite wall of the chamber when the set screw 26 is screwed home thus locking the spring and coupling head C in position. Adjustment of the coupling head is obtained by releasing this set screw and rotatingthe spring as before described, the spring, under such rotation moving along the dog 24 and the set screw 26. The dog may if desired be eliminated, the set screw 26 being capable of performing the function of both.

The foregoing construction provides a simple and rugged support which is eflicient in operation and economical of manu-- facture. 7

What I claim is: 1. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a bracket, a member connecting said head with the bracket, and means in front of the bracket and co-acting therewith to shift the member forward of the bracket to vary the distance between said head and said bracket.

' 2. In an automatic train pipe coupling,

the combination of a coupling head, a

bracket having an opening at its lower end, a membermounted in said opening, and a device arranged in front of said bracket and engaging said member and said bracket and rotatable relative tothe bracket and about the longitudinal axis .of said opening to shift the member in said opening to vary the distance between said coupling head and said bracket.

the spring in said opening to vary the distance between said coupling head and said bracket.

4. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the

combination of a coupling head, a bracket having a perforated base, a coiled spring mounted in said base for supporting said head, and means engaging said base and also engaging a coil on said spring and rotatable relativethereto and relative to said base to shift the spring in said base.

5. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a bracket having an opening at its lower end, a coiled spring extending into said opening and held against excessive rocking movement therein, said spring being shiftable' longitudinally in said opening and serving to support said coupling head, and means threaded to the spring and engaging said bracket for shifting the spring in said opening. I

6. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a bracket having an opening in its lower end, a spring extending into said opening and being adapted to move longitudinally but not laterally therein, a coupling head supported atthe forward end of said spring, and a seat backing up a coil of said spring and engaging the front face of said bracket for shifting the spring in said opening. I

7. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a bracket having at its lower end an opening, a coiledspring ex tending into said opening and adapted to move longitudinally but not laterally therein, a coupling head supported by said spring,

a seat backingup a coil of thespring and the latter, said seat serving to shift the spring in said opening, and means to lock the seat in the shifted position.

8. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a bracket havingat its lower end an opening, a coiled spring extending into said opening and adapted to move longitudinally but not laterally therein,a coupling head carried by said spring, a seat backing up a coil of said spring and engaging said bracket on the front faceof the latter, said seat serving to shift the spring in said opening, and means to lock the seat and'the spring in the shifted position. 7

9. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the

combination of a coupling head, a bracket having an opening a coiled spring extending into said opening and serving to support said coupling head, said spring being shiftable longitudinally in said opening, a seat backing up a coil of said spring and engaging said bracket, said seat having a spiral shaped groove in which said coil rests and being rotatable about the face of said bracket when it is desired to change the'position of said spring in the bracket, and means to lock said seat to the bracket.

10. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a bracket having an opening at its lower end, a spiral spring extending into said opening and held against excessive rocking movement therein, said spring being shiftable longitudinally in said opening, a coupling head supported by said spring, and means threaded onto the spring to adjust the latter in said opening, said means comprising a seat, and a clamp embracing a coil of said spring and tied to said seat on opposite sides of said coil.

11. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a bracket having an opening therein and having also an elongated slot, a spring slidably mounted in, said opening and serving to yieldingly sustain said coupling head in front of said bracket, means to adjust the head forward of the bracket, said means comprising a seat engaging said spring and adapted to rotate in front of said bracket, a clamp for tying the spring to said seat, and a device occupying said elongated slot and slidable therein for locking said clamp to said seat and said seat to said bracket.

in said plate on the inner side of said coil, and a device extending through said plate and said slot on the outer side of said coil to lock said platein the adjusted position, said device beingadapted to follow said slot when said plate is adjusted relative to said bracket.

13. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a bracket, a spring for supporting said head, said spring being adjustably mounted in an opening in the lower end ofsaid bracket a member surrounding and receiving a coil of said spring and co-operating with said bracket toadjust the spring in said opening, said member being perforated, and a conduit connected with said coupling head and having a portion extending through said spring and'said perforation and to the rear of said bracket.

14. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a bracket, a spring for supporting said head, said spring being adjustably mounted in an opening in the lower end of the bracket,

a perforated member surrounding andreceiving a coil of said spring and co-operating with said bracket to adjust the spring in said opening, a conduit connected with said coupling head and having a seat for receiving the forward end of said spring, a stem extending from said conduit through said perforation and said bracket, means mounted upon the rear end of said stem and engaging said spring to maintain the forward end of the latter on said seat, and means toprevent undue rotation of said coupling head relative to said bracket.

7 15. In an automatic train pipe coupling the I combination of a coupling head, a bracket,

a coiled spring forsupporting said head and extending rearwardly past said bracket, a device carried by said bracket and threaded on said spring, saiddevice being rotatable relative to the bracket and about the longitudinal axis of said spring to shift the spring relative to the scribed.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JOSEPH ROBINSON.

bracket, substantially as de- 

